Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain and Checacupe Bridges Tour, Cusco, Peru
Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain: A fantastic alternative tour to the popular “Rainbow Mountain”. Palccoyo rainbow mountains offer a more relaxed and peaceful place option is best for those who don’t want to hike 4 hours round trip, providing an amazing view of 3 distinct rainbow mountains, the stone forest, and the Ausangate glacier in the distance in only a short 45 min walk (Round Trip).
TOUR OVERVIEW
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Your hotel in Cusco/ Plaza de Armas Cusco. |
| DURATION: | Full Day 05:00 – 17:00 |
| DISTANCE: | 1.5 km (1 Mile) – 45 minutes hiking one way |
| ELEVATION: | 3300m/10,827ft to 5000m/16,000ft |
| GROUP SIZE: | Groups up to a maximum of 16 people |
| GOOD FOR: | Those with a sense of adventure and nature lovers. |
| HIGHLIGHTS: | Pristine wilderness, glacial peaks, Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains, Ausangate Mountain, Checacupe bridges! |
| REQUIRED ACCLIMATIZATION : | At least 1 whole day in Cusco before this tour. |
WHY US?
Best guides: Have the best experience with our adventure and certified guides.
Small Groups: Receive a personalized service with full attention in small groups (Groups up to a maximum of 16 people)
Best food: Best restaurant in Cusipata village. (vegetarian and vegan options available)
Safety commitment: We include oxygen tanks and a first aid kit to avoid altitude sickness.
Extra Equipment: We include carbon fiber trekking poles (2 poles per person).
Confortable Transportation: Private and comfortable transport by van with heating.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Due to the early pickup time of services, we recommend you book your hotel in Cusco city center. But if you are staying in an Airbnb accommodation, we can arrange the pick up from a well-known location. eg. Plaza de Armas
- We organize this tour every day, and for this reason, we recommend the passengers stay at least one whole day in Cusco to Acclimatize, this is a prerequisite to go on this tour because you start to walk over 4800 mts (15091 ft).
- It is recommended not to take part in the trek if over 65 years of age or in poor physical condition. Due to the high altitude and steep climbing, it can be dangerous for your health. Other tour operators won’t tell you this, so be very careful.
05:00 - 06:30: Pick up - Transportation to Cusipata - Breakfast and stop at Checacupe
The adventure begins very early with our team picking you up from your hotel between 04:30 to 5:00 a.m. and heading to the small village of Cusipata where we will have a delicious breakfast. After that, we will continue and make a short stop at Checacupe Village to see and cross an Inca and a colonial bridge and also to grab some last-minute items like drinks, snacks, sunblock, rain poncho, etc.
09:00 - 11:30: Explore the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
After the short stop, we continued one more hour to the base camp. Once we arrive there, we take a short and gradual uphill walk (30-45 minutes) to the Palcoyo Pass (4880m/16,000ft). Here you will have spectacular panoramic views of the 3 Rainbow Mountains and the spectacular Palccoyo peaks as well, as the highest mountain in the Cusco region (Ausangate) and the Stone Forest at the highest point. We will spend 1 hour at the pass taking pictures and enjoying the spectacular view.
12:00 - 14:00: Return and Lunch in Cusipata
Once we are done enjoying the scenery we walk back down on the same way to the base camp, and after we will stop in the village called Cusipata to enjoy a delicious, freshly prepared, hot lunch.
15:00 - 17:30: Cusipata - Return to Cusco
After lunch, we will catch our private van back to Cusco. We will drop you off at Regocijo Plaza at about 17:30.
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| RECOMMENDED PACKING LIST |
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GROUP SERVICE PRICES 2023
| 2 – 16 people per group | $59USD per person |
PRIVATE SERVICE PRICES 2023
We can also arange this trip in private service, it means that the trip would be arranged only for you.
| 2 – 3 people | $95 USD per person |
| 4- 6 people | $75 USD per person |
| 7- 9 + people | $65 USD per person |
IMPORTANT:
For our Private Service option the price depends on the number of people in your group.
Daily departures with 2 or more people.
Max. Group Size 16 people.
English 
Spanish
Tour Reviews
Pantego, Texas
71
Inka rope bridge & Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
It was a full day adventure. Gustavo and his driver picked us up at 5 am at our Cusco Airbnb. We headed out for the approximately 3 hr drive out there. On the way, we stopped in a village with some stone and rope bridges that were interesting. A second stop was at a restaurant offering a breakfast type buffet. We passed a lot of small Inca villages, llamas roaming the hills. The last 45 min drive from the main highway to the entrance of rainbow mountain was a bit nerve wrecking. A lot of steep twists and turns with no railing. I was a lot.
Once we arrived, Gustavo gave us a couple of hiking poles and off we went with him always following behind. About every 100 feet, we (I mostly) needed to stop and rest. It’s amazing how thin the air is and how it effects your. Needless to say, my two daughters and I, ages 14, 16 and 50 did it! There were times I didn’t think I would but I did!!! I will say the 45 minute climb was more like 2 hrs. Haha!
Being 16000 ft above sea level was a chore but so worth it!
Gustavo was very considerate to my daughter not feeling well, and made her feel better. His encouragement helped along our way. He also had a lot of knowledge and talked about the history in the area. Provided us cocoa leaves to bury on the trail as part of an offering to the mountains.
It was an amazing cultural experience for us just as we hoped for.
Thank you Gustavo and Inca Highlands!!!
I have discovered the Palcoyo mountain option talking with fellow travellers. They recommended me this agency because they have really enjoyed the tour. I can say that I had the same wonderful experience. The mountain was exciting and you have three view points to take your pictures. You only have 1km hiking and you can also have a picture with a beautiful lama called Pepe.
The other mountain may be more brighter but it really depends on the weather conditions (and Instagram filters) plus you have to hike 2hours or more to really have only one view point with lots of tourists. If you want to have a more exclusive look consider this option.
Great alternative for families!
We really enjoyed our trip to see the rainbow mountains, yes is a long drive but the views along the way are beautiful, once in Palcoyo the walk up the mountain is not to hard, our guide Wilson who by the way was amazing, made several a stops so we can recover and catch a breath, and explain everything in detail, and he even took us pictures, The views of the Red canyon, the range and the Ausangate peak are amazing, is really worth the trip! Lunch was great too!!!
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